Collapsible tube machine



R; S. WESTGATE COLLAPSIBLE TUBE MACHINE Nov. 7, 1933.

Filed Oct. l. 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTUR Nov. 7, 1933. R. s. wEsTGATE COLLAPSIBLE TUBE MACHINE Filed Oct. l. 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 5'. W

./v ArroRlvEw Nov. 7, 1933. R. s. wEs-rcaATE 1,934,287'

COLLAPS IBLE TUBE MACHINE Filed Oct. 1. 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 .FLT-63 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 R. S. WESTGATE- COLLAPSIBLE T'UBE MACHINE Filed OCL, l. 1932 Nov. 7, 1933.

Patented Nov. 7,A 1933y UNITED STATES ina'rala'r OFFICE COLLAPSIBLE TUBE MACHINE Ralph S. Westgate, Bloomfield, N. J., assigner.

Globe Collapsible Tube Corporation,

1 This invention relates generally to machines f used in the manufacture of collapsible tubes, and has particular reference to improvements in the application of the usual caps to the tubes.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple and eiilcient mechanism which will apply caps to the tubes in such a way as to reduce to a negligible point damage either to the tubes or to the caps.

An additional advantage of the mechanism is that the Vcaps are applied after nearly all of the operations involved in making and decorating the tube have been completed. These operations all involve handling the tube in one way or another and if a tube is capped and the cap or the tube is damaged'the cap or broken pieces thereof must be removed in salvaging the material.

This is particularly important when bakelite or similar compositions are used as the material for the caps. Pieces of such compositions, if they ndtheir way to the melting pot, may aifect the entirecontents of the pot, .resulting in pin holes and other defects in tubes made from the metal in the pot. l

By applying the cap at the end of the series of operations and employing the applicants improved mechanism, the likelihood of damage either to the cap or to the tube, the salvaging cost, and trouble arising from using the salvaged material are all greatly reduced as compared with prior practices. e

In the present application the improvements are shown applied to what is known in the art as a collapsible tube printing machine. This machine is used for applying to the surface of the tube the printed matter usual on such tubes. Prior to the printing operation the tube has been shaped, the neck and the open end have been trimmed, the neck has been threaded and the base or ground coating has 4been applied. 'Ihe machine to which the improvements are shown applied in the drawings is in wide general use in collapsible tube making plants and all of the details of the construction of the machine have. therefore, not been shown.

With the foregoing and othervobjects and advantages in view the invention consists in av vnovel combination and relation of parts, a preferred embodiment of which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this application and the novel features of which are pointed out in the appended claims.

In said drawings :l Figure 1 is a side view of the complete machine except for some of the inking apparatus- Figure 2 is a rear view of a machine showing particularly the operating devices for various parts of the mechanism.

Figure 3 is a partial front view and shows particularly details of the printing and cap applying mechanisms.

Figure `4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a detail of some of the cap applying mechanism and illustrates how the capped tube is carried away from the cap applying mechanism.

Figure 6 is a side view partially in section of some of the mechanism for applying caps to the tubes.

Figure '7 shows details of the construction of 70 the tube supporting spindles. i

Figure 8 shows on a larger scale than the other figures, details of the capping mechanism.

The machine in the drawings comprises a base or pedestal 10 supporting a motor 11 operating through a chain drive 12 to rotate a power shaft 13 which through suitable gearing and other connections imparts the necessary movements to the various parts of the mechanism as hereinafter explained more or less in detail.

'Ihe mechanismccmprises a. large disk 14 secured to the end of a shaft 15 which is journalled in slides 16 (Fig. 2) which'are adjustable along a slot 17. This adjustment is to make possible sa setting the disk 14 in different positions s'o that the machine can be used for performing operations upon tubes of different diameters.

Mounted upon the disk 14 are ten spindles adapted to receive the collapsible` tubes. The construction of one of these is illustrated in detail in Figure 'I of the drawings. It comprises a stud 18 having a broadened base 19 and a portion 20 extending through suitable holes in the disk 14. Each stud is held firmly in position by nuts 21 on threaded portions of the stud. Bearing surfaces 22 on each stud support a sleeve 23 which is held in position laterally by a disk 24, a screw 25 in the end of the stud and a bushing 26 fltting tightly in the interior of the sleeve. The

arrangement is such that the sleeve is free to rotate on the bearing surfaces 22, but is prevented from endwise movement by the disk 24 and .bushing 26.

The disk 14 is given an intermittent or step 105 which has been deposited on the of! set printing 1104 blanket 27, by the type Wheel 28 forming a part of the printing mechanism, is transferred to the surface of the tube. During this printing movement the tube and the spindle upon which it is mounted are driven by frictional engagement with the blanket 27. The intermittent or step by step movement of the disk 14 is imparted by a ratchet and pawl mechanism 31, Fig. 2, actuated by the link 32 connected to a crank 33 upon a shaft 34 suitably journalled in the framework of the machine. At each turn of the shaft 34 the ratchet and pawl mechanism 31 will give a step of movement to the disk 14 and bring another spindle and tube to the printing position A. A locking mechanism for`holding the disk stationary between these steps of movement is employed but it is not shown in great detail in the drawings. It comprises a plunger which is constantly spring pressed toward a notched disk 36 fast to the shaft 15 and is withdrawn-from the notches in the disk by a mechanism comprising a pivoted lever 37, a link 38 and a lever 39 which is rocked in one direction to withdraw the locking plunger by a cam 41 attached to the shaft 34. A spring (not shown) on the locking plunger serves both to seat the plunger in the notches of the notched disk 36 and to held a roll 42 on the lever 39 against the periphery of the cam 41. Both the links 38 and 32 are provided with adjustments 43 and 44 which may be set when the slides 16 supporting the shaft 15 and disk 14 are shifted to set up the machine for working upon tubes of different sizes.

As so far described the machine is quite similar to machines which are well-known and in wide general use in various manufacturing plants.

The changes made consist principally in providing more spindles on the disk 14 and changing the disk operating mechanism accordingly.

The mechanism for applying caps to the tubes will next be described in detail. It might be said generally at this point however that the mechanism for applying the caps comprises devices for rotatingthe tube and supporting spindle at the capping position B, Fig. 3, and advancing a cap toward the tube while the tube is turning so that the cap will be screwed in position on the threaded neck 48 (Fig. 7) of the tube. In the figure just mentioned a tube designated by the numeral 49 is shown in position on a spindle.

Rotations of the spindle and tube at the capping position B are imparted by a roller 51 which is preferably of soft rubber or some other suitable material whicli will give a satisfactory frictional contact between the roller and the tube. The roller 51 is mounted on a shaft 52 supported at its ends in slides 53, Figs. 3 and 4, which are adjustable in slots of brackets 55 and 56 in setting up the machine for tubes of different sizes. These adjustments each include a spring which will effect radial movement of the roller 51 in one direction or permit such movement in the other direction so as to cause uniform pressure of the roller against the tube. For the purpose just stated, each of theslides 53 is provided with a threaded rod 58 engaged by an internally threaded sleeve 59 which is slidably supported in the bracket 56. A flange 60 on the sleeve forms a seat for a spring 61, the other end of the spring engaging one end of the slot in the associated bracket. Lock nuts 64 threaded on the sleeve 59 limit movement of the sleeve and of course the rod 58 in one direction. A jam nut 65 threaded on the rod 58 prevents the sleeve from turning.

onthe rod and thereby contributes toward holdtoward the disk 14 and its spindles.

framework of the machine. At one end the shaft 69 carries a pulley 75 (Figs. 1 and 3) which is loosely engaged by a belt 76, which belt in turn engages a pulley 77 secured to the roller shaft 52. The belt is preferably quite loose on the pulleys so that while rotation of the roller 51 is insured there can be a slip in thedrive after the cap is seated on the tube,`thereby providing a protection against damage to the tube if the cap is held against rotation by the capping mechanism. TheI circumference of the roller and the mechanism for driving is arranged to give just the proper number of turns to the tube after the tube comes into contact with the roller, but it is preferred to arrange the parts to effect more thanthe absolute number of turnsto insure firm engagement of the tube and cap and use the slip of the belt 76 to protect the tube.

The caps are dumped into a hopper 8l and gravitate to a rotary agitating device, (not shown in detail) which is driven by a belt 82 and is so arranged that it causes the caps to drop into a chute 83 with their threaded openings facing The chute 83 is curved slightly at its lower end (Fig. 4) to deliver caps at the capping position B (Fig. 3). The caps drop one at a time from the chute 83 upon a ledge 84 (Figs. 4 and 8) with the neck of the cap extending between a pair of pivoted jaws 85 and 86. The ledge 84 is formed on a member 87 to which the jaws 85 and 86 are pivoted, the member 87 being secured to the lower end of a support 88 which is provided with an extension 89 clamped by a nut 90 against a shoulder on a rod 91. This rod is given a reciprocating movement as hereinafter described, thereby giving -a like movement to the support 88 and the member 87 and the parts supported by the latter. The support 88 is slotted at its upper end to engage an eccentric guide screw 92. The member 87 may be adjusted relative to its support 88 and held in adjusted position by a locking screw 93 (Fig. 6). This adjustment is made when conditioning the machine to operate on tubes of different sizes. This, of course, calls for a corresponding adjustment of the chute 83 and for this purpose a slot and lock nut device 94 (Fig; 3) may be used to effect proper alignment of the lower end of the chute with the jaws 85 and 86. After a cap has dropped from the chute 83 upon the ledge 84 the jaws 86 are closed against the tension of springs95 and 96 (Figs. 4 and 8) by a cam 97 extending from the end of a rock shaft 98 journalled in the member 87. The rocking movement is imparted to the shaft by a cam 101 (Fig. 4) attached to the shaft 69 previously mentioned. This cam causes rocking movement in one direction of a pivoted lever 102 which is connected by a link 103 to an arm 104 fastened to one end of a sleeve 105 (Figs. 1 and 6) loose on the reciprocating shaft 91. The lever 102 after being moved by the cam 101 is returned by a spring 107 connected at one end to a stationary part and at the other end to the arm 104. The connections between the rod 103`and the lever 102 and arm 104 is a modified ball and socket one in Vand 96 to open the jaws.

After a cap has dropped from the chute 83 to the ledge 84 the train of mechanism just described is actuated to rock the shaft 98 and cause the cam 97 on the end thereof to engage the tails of the jaws 85 and 86 and cause the jaws to grip the neck of the cap. The member 87 and the jaws are then advanced-toward the spindle which is at the capping position B and as the spindle and the tube thereon are being rotated by the roller 51, the cap will be screwed firmly in position upon the tube. This movement of the member 87 and the jaws is effected by reciprocating the shaft 91. The mechanism for reciprocating the shaft includes a lever 109 (Figs. 1 and 6) pivoted on the extension of the bracket arm 71 and actuated in one direction by a side acting cam 110 attached to the shaft 69. The shaft 91 is shifted in the other direction, and the lever 109 held against the cam 110, by a compression spring 112 between the arm 104 and a bracket 113. This bracket and the bracket 56 serve to support for sliding movement both the sleeve or tube 105 and the shaft 91.

In Fig. 1 the parts are shown shifted to the full extent toward the disk 14 and its spindles. This shifting was effected by the spring 112. After the cap is applied to the neck of the tube the cam 110 will shift the parts in the opposite direction to position the jaws 85 and 86 under the chute 83 ready to receive another cap. As the cam 110 starts its next rotation the cam 101 will operate the spring 107 to rock the sleeve 105 to cause the cam 97 to close the jaws 85 and 86 and will hold them closed until the cap is screwed hom'e. The cam 101 will then rock the rod 98 in the opposite direction to permit the springs 95 This opening occurs before the disk 14 is given its next step of movement so that the capped tube will be carried from between the jaws as illustrated in Fig. 5.

After the tubes have been capped and before they reach the printing position A the cap is carried under a spring or guide 115 which serves to insure the prop'er position of the tube on the spindle before printing contact with the blanket 27. i

In operating the machine the tubes are place upon the spindles 23 by hand or by a suitable mechanism and are carried by the intermittent movement of the disk 14 around to the position B where the caps are applied. They are then carried by the movements of disk around to the printing position A where matter deposited on the blanket 27 by the type wheels 28 is` transferred from the blanket to the tube. After passing the printing position the capped tubes are removed from the spindles by hand or suitable stripping mechanism may be employed.

The capping mechanism is so designed that it may be placed upon what is known in the collapsible tube business as a coating machine. This machine is similar in construction and operation to the printing machine to which the ixnprovements are shown applied. Application to the coating machine will of course slightly increase the risk of damage to capped tubes because of the subsequent handling for printing.

It is also apparent that the capping mechanism is so designed that the caps might be applied at the printing position by so proportioning the length of the printing blanket 27 relative to the circumference of the tubes as to give the necessary ynumber of turns to the tube for threading the cap into position.

The two modifications suggested are obvious ones and it is thought that they need not be illustrated.

From all of the foreging it is apparent that while the embodiment shown and described is admirably adapted toattain the objects and ad-v vantages primarily stated, other embodiments can be made all of which come within the scope of the'following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a collapsible tube printing machine, the combination of a driven roller, a rotatable spindle for supporting tubes, a movable support forl the spindle, devices for moving the-support and spindle to carry the tube on the spindle into contact with the roller, and cap applying devices for automatically threading a cap on the neck of each .tube brought into contact with the roller.

-2. In' a collapsible tube printing machinethe combination of a driven roller, a rotatable spindle for supporting the tubes,.a movable support for the spindle, devices for moving the support and spindle to engage the periphery of the tube on the spindle with the periphery of the roller, cap applying devices for engaging a threaded cap with the threaded neck of the tube while the tube is being turned, and devices comprising a slip beltdrive for driving the roller.

3. In a collapsible tube printing machine, ak

plurality of independently rotatable tube holding spindles, a movable support for the spindles, devices'for moving said'support intermittently to bring the tubes on the spindles o-ne at a time to a work position, devices at said position for rotating the tube and spindle set at that position by contact with the tube, and cap applying devices for carrying a threaded cap into engagement with the threadedneck of the tube while said tube is being turned.

4. In a collapsible tube printing machine, a

rotatable support for tube holding spindles, a plurality` of spindles rotatable on said support, printing devices, means for moving the support to carry the spindles one at a time into printing relation to the printing devices, devices for turning the spindles one at a time to rotate the tubes thereon before the tubes are carried to printing position, devices for automatically applying caps to the tubes while the spindles and'tubes are being turned, and a guide constructed to engage the caps Ion the tubes for insuring proper position of the tubes on the spindles when the tubes are carried into 'printing rel/ation with the printing devices.

5. In a machine of the character described, a driven roller,.rotatable supports for collapsible tubes, devices for moving said supports to carry the tubes thereon into contact with the roller, and cap applying` devices for advancing threaded caps into engagement with the threaded necks of the tubes while said tubes are being turned by the driven roller.

6. In a machine of the character described, a rotatable support, a pluralityof spindles rotat'- ably mounted on said support and each constructed to support a collapsible tube, devices for turning said support to carry the spindles and the tubes thereon to diiIerent work positions, a driven roller at one of vsaid positions for turning the spindles and tubes thereon by contact with the tubes, and cap applying devices for advancing threaded caps toward the threaded necks of the tubes while said tubes are being turned by the roller. V

7. In a machine of the character described, a rotatable support, a plurality of spindles rotatably mounted on said support and each constructed to support a collapsible tube, devices for giving the support a step by step rotary movement to carry the spindles to different work positions, a driven roller at one of said positions for turning the spindles and tubes thereon by contact with the tubes, and cap applying devices for applying caps to the necks of the tubes while the tubes are being turned by said roller.

8. In a machine of the class described, a rotatable disk, a plurality of spindles rotatably supported by the disk and each constructed to sup' lapsible tubes, devices for moving said spindles to' carry the tubes thereon successively into contact with the roller, and cap applying devices for carrying a threaded cap into engagement with the threaded neck of each tube while the tube is being turned by said roller. f

RALPH S. WESTGATE.

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